The invention is directed to an apparatus for dispensing a length of paper having a strip of masking tape adhered along at least one of the longitudinal edges thereof. More particularly, the invention is directed at simulateously dispensing paper and masking tape from a hand-carried, or pulled, dispenser apparatus capable of accommodating different size rolls of paper such that one or both edges of the dispensed paper is provided with a strip of masking tape.
It is often necessary prior to painting an object, such as an automobile or a house, to mask areas of the object which are not to be painted. To this end it is convenient to use a "masking machine", sometimes called an apron taper stand, which automatically connects a strip of masking tape to the edge of a length of masking paper, thus creating an apron.
Historically, there have been many machines developed for dispensing masking paper, automatically adhering pressure sensitive tape to one edge of the paper to form the apron, and cutting the apron from the rolls of paper and tape. Many of the units have been heavy, cumbersome and difficult to move.
More recently units have been developed that feature easier mobility and the ability to hold several different rolls of masking paper on the same unit. Recent units also have been developed which can be adapted to apply tape simultaneously to both edges of the dispensed paper. However, these units generally require the purchase of extension tubes so that the units may be utilized for paper rolls which are wider than those contemplated by a given unit's original design, provided, of course, that the unit can be adapted at all. Still other units have required the purchase of cumbersome and costly stands to facilitate their mobility. Also, unfortunately, it has been necessary, with the units that can be adapted to tape both edges of the paper simultaneously, to buy expensive and time consuming kits in order to utilize the unit for this purpose.
Examples of prior art paper and tape dispensing units are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,052,248 to Hunter; U.S. Pat. No. 3,553,060 to Waltz; U.S. Pat. No. 3,847,709 to Martin; U.S. Pat. No. 2,593,325 to Matthews; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,630,421 to Waltz.
Thus, while various forms of paper roll and tape dispensing units have been suggested in the prior art, there still is a need for an efficient and economical dispensing unit adapted to accommodate all of the most commonly used standard width masking papers (three, six, nine, twelve and eighteen inch widths) simultaneously. There is also a need for a dispensing device which can be loaded quickly and easily, which is provided with a wide base design to prevent tipping even under the worst loading conditions, and which is lightweight and designed for easy mobility without giving up the stability and durability of the heavier units currently in use.